Swine Flu Could Trigger Alopecia Areata: Study

A recent research published by the Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Japan, has established that swine flu patients may suffer from spot balding, also known as alopecia areata.

The study, conducted between 2009 and 2010 on patients who suffered swine flue infections, revealed that flu infection may be one of the triggers for alopecia areata.

Alopecia Areata is an autoimmune disease that causes sudden hair loss. Patients suffering from this disease lose patches of hair anywhere on their head. In some cases, patients may suffer from total baldness. Though the exact cause of the disease is unknown, most experts attribute it to genetic factors.

The study was conducted on seven people who started experiencing hair loss- on average within one and a half months - after they were affected by swine flue. The patients studied in the research were all below 30. Four of them were children. Three were females.

Four of the cases reported recurring alopecia areata while the other three were first time occurrence. The results also showed a slight difference in the time of occurrence of baldness. Hair loss was reported almost a month earlier in those who reported recurring patch baldness than those who noticed first-time occurrence of the disease.

The study researcher Dr. Taisuke Ito, an assistant professor of dermatology at Hamamatsu University School of Medicine in Japan, says the research confirms earlier findings that certain types of viral infections can trigger alopecia areata, myhealthnewsdaily reported.

However, the fact that more than half of the people reported recurrence of alopecia areata means certain people are genetically predisposed to develop this kind of hair loss. It further confirms that even those carrying the genetic component of the illness may require a trigger from the environment such as a traumatic event or illness to set off the disease.

Alopecia areata can be treated. Of late stem cell treatments are being developed to treat alopecia areata. One of such treatments, developed by Biostem, is known as “The Biostem Method." It includes a combination of the patient’s own blood, utilization of growth factors, laser treatments for bio-photo stimulation, and a nutraceutical designed to stimulate hair follicle growth.

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